Upon arrival at Cairns, transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight Stay in Cairns.

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Day 2

Cairns

Breakfast at the hotel. Start your day trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Visit Michaelmans Cay and the exclusive Paradise Reef. All snorkelling equipment is included and if you’re keen to dive, optional introductory and certified scuba diving is available too. Michaelmans Cay National Park is a world-famous bird sanctuary featuring a beautiful sandy beach that provides the rare opportunity to snorkel and dive straight off the edge in calm, protected waters. Sea turtles are abundant here and you’re likely to see giant trevally, small black tip reef sharks and bat fish among many other species. Paradise Reef is an exclusive mooring just for Passions of Paradise so there are no crowds as you snorkel the hard coral reef with depths of up to 25 metres. There’s also a tasty buffet lunch included on this trip. In the afternoon enjoy leisure time. Overnight stay in your preferred hotel.

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Day 3

Cairns – Whitsundays

Breakfast at the hotel.Get ready for sailing at the Whitsundays. Today we’ll do just that as we make our way to Airlie Beach. This buzzing party town is your gateway to the beautiful Whitsunday Passage and the 74 nearby tropical islands, and by far the best way to experience the islands is onboard our own private yacht! This will be our home for the night and the experienced sailing crew will provide us with a feast of freshly prepared meals along the way. You’ll be able to learn the basics of sailing by lending a hand with hoisting and trimming the sails and there is plenty of time for swimming and snorkelling the reefs at your leisure too. By night we’ll stargaze at the Milky Way without a worry in the world – it’s a tough life, but someone has to do it! If there’s a heaven on earth, this is it.

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Day 4

Long Island Resort (Whitehaven Beach)

Wake up to pure paradise in one of the many sheltered coves that make up the Whitsundays. Today we’ll set sail for golden sandy beaches, snorkel over coral reefs and soak up the sun. A visit to the famous blinding white sands of Whitehaven Beach and Blue Pearl Bay will also be an option if the weather behaves – fingers crossed! If you’re a budding captain, you can even help set the sails and have a turn at the helm whilst further exploring the islands. Later this afternoon set course for land. Enjoy leisure time. Overnight stay at Long Island Resort.

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Day 5

Long Island Resort

Live the Island life and relax over an indulgent buffet breakfast as the day unfolds on this little slice of paradise. You will soon discover the many sides to Long Island, it’s all yours to explore at your own pace. Be submersed in the endless array of activities this idyllic resort has on offer. You have access to hectares of unspoilt National Park featuring over 20 kilometres of walking trails and many secluded beaches to explore. Overnight stay at Long Island Resort.

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Day 6

Whitsundays – Emu Park

Our short morning ferry lands us back in Shute Harbour where it’s time to jump back aboard the coach and continue south along the coast. We journey through the beef capital of Queensland – Rockhampton, or “Rocky” to the locals – before arriving at Emu Park. This casual coastal town is the perfect place to sit back and ‘chillax’. Take a walk along the unspoilt beach, dip in the resort pool or join your crew for a game of beach cricket – one of Australia’s favourite sports! you’ll enjoy some local hospitality as we sit down together to enjoy a delicious combination of local beef and seafood. Overnight stay in your preferred hotel.

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Day 7

Emu Park – Kroombit Farm

Today we go from the beach to the bush as we head into Central Queensland for some real Outback hospitality. You’ll be welcomed by the local Sandilands family and into the tranquil bush lifestyle on their 10,000 acre cattle station. Think dusty plains, kangaroos, wide-open spaces – this is the Australia many dream of. In fact, this afternoon feel free to take a swim in the pool before enjoying Kroombit’s renowned camp oven cuisine, followed by steaming billy tea and an evening around the campfire. Before heading to your purpose built bush cabin for a well deserved rest.

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Day 8

Kroombit Park – Fraser Island

Greeted this morning with a campfire breakfast cook up (including the delicious “Cowboy Caviar”), you will be refreshed and ready to take on the day ahead. Horse riding, quad bike riding or trap shooting are just some of the activities you might want to try this morning before we say goodbye to the Sandilands. Leaving the farm behind, we continue south on our way to Fraser Island. Crossing the Great Sandy Straight on the ferry, you may be lucky enough to catch the sunset before we arrive to a hearty dinner waiting for us at the infamous Dingo Bar. Be sure to fill up as we have an awesome day of exploring planned for tomorrow! Perfectly located at Kingfisher Bay, our Wilderness Lodge accommodation is set in a eucalypt forest, on the western side of the island.

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Day 9

Gold Coast

Fraser Island – Great Sandy National Park is World Heritage Listed and the world’s largest sand island. It was home to the Badtjala Aboriginal people for some 5000 years and was known as ”K’gari”. This special place supports an extraordinarily diverse rainforest, wildflower heath, mangroves, birds and a now small population of dingoes. The island has dunes that reach 240 metres in height and about 40 dune lakes – unbelievably, half the total number of dune lakes in the world. The very best way to explore this vast national park is with an expert local guide on our included 4-wheel drive trip. As we travel along Seventy-Five Mile Beach get your camera finger ready for the iconic Pinnacles Coloured Sands and Maheno Shipwreck, learn about the rich logging history amongst the ancient rainforest at Central Station, and float your troubles away at the picturesque Eli Creek. You’ll even have an opportunity to try your hand at stand-up paddle boarding on the crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie! The more you learn about Fraser Island, the more you’ll understand how truly a remarkable place it is. At the end of the day, you might like to join your crew for a bite to eat poolside at the always popular Sand Bar.

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Day 10

Fraser Island – Gold Coast

From remote wilderness to cosmopolitan charm today as our journey takes us to the Gold Coast’s entertainment hub and our home for the night, Surfers Paradise. First though we we’ll stop off in Brisbane, Queensland’s Capital city. Enjoy a meander around the river city, indulge in a spot of shopping or relax over a coffee before continuing south. Tonight we’ll take you on a short walk to Cavill and Orchid Avenues where we’ll enjoy some of the Coast’s hottest night spots! Overnight stay in your preferred hotel.

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Day 11

Gold Coast – Byron Bay

Enjoy a buffet breakfast this morning before heading out to enjoy Queensland’s fabulous climate – today is yours to explore all the Gold Coast has to offer! From world famous surf beaches, extreme adventure activities and well known Theme Parks, the options are endless. After an action packed stay on the Gold Coast, it’s time to jump back aboard our trusty coach bound for Springbrook National Park where we’ll make a stop at the stunning “Natural Arch” – an unusual geographical feature created over millions of years by water tumbling through the roof of a basalt cave. It’s only a short drive from here en route to our home for the next two nights – Australia’s most easterly (and most laid-back) point, Byron Bay. Renowned for its surf beaches, rainforests and eclectic lifestyle, Byron oozes a relaxed vibe that will instantly have you hooked.

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Day 12

Byron Bay

Beautiful Byron – if this town was a food, it’d be certified organic! From lush hinterland and sparkling beaches to the deliberate exclusion of fast food outlets, it really is a natural wonder. Whether you decide to start early and make a full day of it or choose to relax, you’re guaranteed to fall in love with the lifestyle. It’s a melting pot of surf culture, alternative philosophies, hedonistic indulgence, and the good life. Today is all yours to do with as you please and the activities are endless. Why not try skydiving* for spectacular views, go scuba diving* at Julian Rocks, jump in a sea kayak* for a paddle and hopefully spot a dolphin, show off your new surf skills with another lesson* or just chill out with a coffee on the beach! If you’re in the mood for an adventure, make sure you walk up to the lighthouse at Cape Byron for the best easterly views in Oz. Here it’s not uncommon to spot dolphins or whales cruising past so have your camera ready. Tonight is your chance to let your taste buds run wild. Head to that cosy restaurant you spotted today in town, or check with your Trip Leader for suggestions on the Byron’s best eats.

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Day 13

Byron Bay – Crescent Head

As we depart Byron Bay and continue south, the scenery we pass this morning is simply stunning – you’ll be wishing the drive was longer! With the Great Dividing Range to our west and the Pacific Ocean to our east, we pass through the Northern Rivers towns of Ballina and Grafton before reaching the Central Coast. We arrive at our idyllic surf camp in beautiful Crescent Head where a BBQ lunch awaits us – just what you’ll need to boost the energy levels for this afternoon’s surf lesson! With qualified instructors there to watch over your every move, you are sure to be up and on your feet in no time. What better way to celebrate becoming a surfer than to enjoy a hearty meal together this evening before letting your hair down at the surf camp’s legendary live music night.

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Day 14

Crescent Head – Sydney

Surfed out and with full bellies, we leave this remote paradise behind bound for the Hunter Valley, one of Australia’s premier wine regions. Our time in wine country begins with the feeling of grapes between bare toes (seasonal). You guessed it – jump in an oak barrel and experience the age-old tradition of pressing by foot! Afterwards, it’s on to the Hunter Wine Theatre where we learn all about the grape’s fascinating journey from vine to bottle before enjoying an intimate, structured wine tasting. The Hunter Valley’s local produce is mouth-watering and you’ll have plenty of time to sample it as we enjoy a break for lunch*. You might even decide to sit down for a bite to eat at the Blue Tongue Brewery cafe before departing this stunning setting. As we cruise on into the largest city in Australia via its famous Harbour Bridge, Sydney signals the end of our adventure together. Get ready for departure.